Carrying structure for golf bag



June 21, 1955 B. HOTZE CARRYING STRUCTURE FOR GOLF BAG Filed March 16, 1953 J 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BENT

HOTZE June 21, 1955 B. HOTZE 2,711,201

CARRYING STRUCTUREFOR GOLF BAG 1 Filed March 16, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BENT HOTZE June 21, 1955 5, HQTZE CARRYING STRUCTURE FOR GOLF BAG 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 16, 1953 INVENTOR.

Affair/1x5) 1 United States Patent CARRYING STRUCTURE FOR GOLF BAG Bent Hotze, Alfton, M0.

Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,663

Claims. (Cl. 1501.5)

This invention pertains to golf bags, and has for its purpose, to provide an improved carrying structure for such a bag.

In accordance with this invention, generally stated, the body of the bag has attached thereto a handle plate of heavy leather or the like. Said handle plate extends along the bags surface for the upper portion thereof, then bends outward for a substantial distance, and then down again toward the lower end of the bag to which it is attached. A carrying handle is attached to said upper portion of the handle plate in such a position as to support the weight of the bag and its load of clubs at a convenient angle for carrying the same. A shoulder strap is attached to the upper end of the bag, and to the outer extremity of said bent-out portion of the handle plate. This positions the shoulder strap in such a way that the bag, when suspended from said strap, is also held at a convenient carrying angle.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a player carrying a bag embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rearview of the bag embodying this invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the bag shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a partial rear view of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 7, somewhat enlarged; and

Fig. 10 is a similar section on line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 5 designates the body of the bag, which may be of fabric or other suitable material, usually flexible. This body may be of any usual construction. As shown in Fig. 3, it is provided with a side pocket 6, having an opening provided with a zipper 7 for closing the same. The body 5 is provided with the usual stiffening cuffs 8 at the top and 9 at the bottom. The upper end may be provided with a strap 10 passing through grommets 11 in the upper end of the bag, and traversing the open end of the bag so as to provide separating supports for the golf clubs 12. Metal stays 13 may be provided for the body 5 in any usual manner.

In accordance with this invention, the rear of the body 5 has attached thereto a handle plate 14. This may be of heavy leather or other stiff material. While the handle plate is preferably made continuous, for the purpose of description, three parts are designated, respectively, an upper portion 15, an intermediate portion 16 and a lower portion 17. As shown in Fig. 2, the handle plate 14 is substantially the same width as the body 5, though it may be tapered slightly, as shown. The upper 2,711,201 Patented June 21, 1955 portion 15 thereof extends closely along the upper portion of the body 5, and is attached thereto by stitching or otherwise. This portion extends from the upper end of the bag to a point above the middle thereof, as shown in Fig. 5. The length of this portion is preferably about 40% of the length of the bag. At the lower extremity of the portion 15 at the point indicated at 18, the handle plate is bent so as to be directed outward from the body 5 to form the intermediate portion 16. At the outer extremity of this intermediate portion, namely, at the point 19, the handle plate is again bent or redirected so that the lower portion 17 extends downward at an angle with the axis of the bag, so as to approach the body 5 to which it is attached at its lower end at 20. Such attachment may be made by riveting to the cuff 9 or in other suitable manner. The outward extension of the intermediate portion 16 is substantial,

preferably about 10% of the length of the bag.

The handle plate 14, extending the full length of the bag and being attached thereto throughout the length of the upper portion, provides a stiif reinforcement for the body 5 as well as an efiicient attachment for the carrying structure to be described hereinafter. The space between the body 5 and the portions 16 and 17 of the handle plate has formed therein a pocket 21 having an opening provided with a zipper 22. This pocket is large enough, ordinarily, to receive such articles as gloves and the like. Similarly, on the outer face of the portion 17 of the handle plate, a pocket 23 may be provided, having an opening provided with a Zipper 24. This pocket may be used for storing golf balls or other small articles.

A carrying handle 25 is attached to the upper portion 15 of the handle plate. As shown in Fig. 5, the handle 25 is attached at 26 by riveting or otherwise to the handle plate. The lower portion of the handle is formed into a loop 27 which is passed through an anchoring loop 28 attached to the portion 16, and after such passage, extends upward along the portion 15 and the end of the handle is attached to the handle plate at 29, also by riveting or the like. It will be noted that by this arrangement, the handle, together with the portion 15 of the handle plate, forms an almond-shaped loop positioned with its small end up. This shape is such that when the bag is carried with its load of clubs in the position shown in Figure l, the grip portion of the handle extends substantially horizontally so that it fits the position of the hand which carries it. This provides increased comfort and reduces the fatigue of carrying a bag.

A shoulder strap 30 is attached by a link 31 to the upper end of the bag and by a buckle 32 to the handle plate at the outermost extremity of the intermediate portion 16 thereof. This arrangement provides two points of suspension for the bag when carried on the shoulder strap 36), such as to hold the bag at about the angle shown in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the position of the buckle 32, spaced outward to the rear by the portions 16, is eifective in determining a definite forward tilt to the bag when carried in this way.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the handle plate 14, instead of being attached to the cuff 9 at the bottom of the bag, has its lower portion 17 extending along the lower part of the body substantially parallel thereto, as shown in Fig. 7. Two pockets 21a and 23a are formed beneath this portion of the handle plate by a suitable partition 35. These pockets may be provided with closing zippers 22 and 24 respectively. In this embodiment also, the handle 25 is of the same shape as in the embodiment of Fig; 5, and similarly attached, except that the loop is attached to the portion 16 of the handle plate by a simple rivet attachment 36.

It will be seen that this invention provides a very simple construction by which the carrying devices 25 and 30 may be mounted on the bag in such a way that the natural position taken by the bag when carried by either of them is such as to provide easy carrying without fatigue or difiiculty in manipulation. If desired, the body 5 may be provided with a perforated leather tip socket 33 and an upper strap 34 for carrying an umbrella.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Parts of the invention may be used without the whole and improvements may be added while retaining some or all of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a golf bag having a bag body of fabric or the like, a carying structure comprising, a relatively stiff handle-plate of substantial width extending along and secured to said body from the top of the bag to a point above the middle thereof, said handle-plate being redirected at said point to extend outward from said body for a substantial distance and then being again re-directed to extend along the lower portion of said body, and a carrying handle secured to said handle-plate above said point.

2. In a golf bag having a bag body of fabric or the like, a carrying structure comprising, a heavy leather handle-plate of substantially the same width as said body, said handle-plate having an upper portion secured to said body from the upper end thereof to a point above the middle thereof, an intermediate portion extending outward from said body adjacent said point and a lower portion extending downward along said body, a pocket formed on said body beneath said lower portion of said handle-plate, and a carrying handle secured to said upper portion of said handle-plate.

3. In a golf bag having a bag body of fabric or the like, a carrying structure comprising, a heavy leather handle-plate of substantially the same width as said body, said handle-plate having an upper portion secured to said body from the upper end thereof, to a point above the middle thereof, an intermediate portion extending outward from said body adjacent said point and a lower portion extending downward along said body, and a carrying handle attached at its upper end to said handleplate near its top, said handle being looped outward from said body at its lower portion and attached to said handle-plate at its lower end and at said looped portion. 4. In a golf bag having a bag body of fabric or the like, a carrying structure comprising, a heavy leather handle-plate of substantially the same width as said body. 7

the upper portion of said handle-plate extending along and being secured to said body for a distance of substantially four tenths of the length of said body, said handle'plate having an intermediate portion adjoining said upper portion and extending outward therefrom for substantially one tenth of the length of said body and a lower portion extending downward along said body, and a carrying handle attached to said upper portion of said handle-plate and having a lower loop atand a carrying handle secured to said handle-plate above said point, the lower portion of said handle being looped outward to form with said handle-plate an almond-shaped loop with its small end up and the loop of said handle being secured to said outward-extending portion of said handle-plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,493,828 Stocks May 13, 1924 1,795,880 Mullins Mar. 10, 1931' 1,936,021 Hutchinson Nov. 21, 1933 2,002,581 Osten May 28, 1935 2,591,217 Thompson Apr. 1, 1952 

